Improvement in portfolio-easels



D. J. STEIN.

v PORTFOLIO EAsEL.

No. 192,303. Patented June 19,1877.

47d WMM' A mf g /T NJCTE'IS. PHoT-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

DAVID J. STEIN, OF NEW YORK, N.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTFOLIO-EASELS.

Specification forming part of Letters `Patent No. 192,303, dated June 19, 1877 application filed May 16, 1877.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID J. STEIN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Easel-Portfolios, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l represents a front View. Fig. 2 is a rear view. Fig. 3 is a vertical section in the plane m x, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section in the planey y, Fig. 1.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists in the combination, with a portfolio, of a sliding frame and of a spring-catch, said frame being composed of a cross-bar and of two guides, which fit into sockets in the portfolio-stand, and which are provided with holes or recesses to engage with the spring-catch, so that, by raising and lowering said frame, the stand is adjusted for' picture-frames of different sizes. With the portfolio stand, its sliding frame, and its hinged brace, is combined a link-latch, which serves to lock the brace at any desired inclination, whileno portion of the link-latch extends behind said brace. The spring-catch which serves to lock the sliding frame consists' of two hooks, which are connected to one and the same handle, so that, by pressing against this handle, both guides of the slidin g frame are simultaneously released, and by releasing said handle the two hooks are left free to engage with said guides, and to lock the frame in the required position.

In the drawing, the letter A designates a portfolio-stand, which is provided with a door, B, hinged at its bottom edge, so that it opens downward, and gives access to a receptacle for drawings or paintings which are not ff tion without having any portion of the latch to extend beyond its rear surface. If the latch is made solid, and not in hinged sections, it may serve to lock the brace at any desired inclination; butif the brace is not in its extreme rearward position the latch extends out beyond its rear, which is objectionable for many reasons. The end of the latch may injure the wall or any other object with which it comes in contact;v ladies7 dresses are liable to be caught by the same,v the stand is liable to be upset, and so on. By the use of my link-latch these difculties are obviated.

With the-portfoliostand A is combined a sliding frame, E, which consists of a horizontal traverse, d, and two vertical guides, e, which slide in sockets or guidewaysjl, formed in the rear of the stand A, By raising or lowering the frame E its traverse d can be brought to any desired distance from the shelf a of the stand, so as to make room for picture-frames of different sizes. With the sliding frame E is combined a latch, which serves to lock the same in the required position. 'Ihe latch which I use by preference is constructed of two hooks, f f, which are connected to a lever, g, on opposite sides of its fulcrum h, so that, by swinging said lever back and forth, the hooks are caused to move one in a direction opposite to that of the other. A spring, fi, acts on the lever g, and has a tendency to throw the hooks f f outward. In thev guides e of the sliding frame E are holes or recesses j, which receive the hooks. By

pressing against the lever g both hooks are disengaged from the guides e, and the frame E can be moved up or down to the desired po sition, and ,when the lever g is released the frame E is locked in its position by the hooks What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a portfolio-stand, A, of a sliding frame, E, composed of a horizontal traverse, d, and two guides, e, which' lit into sockets or guideways in the stand A, and which are adapted to engage with a suitable catch or latch, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

2. rI he combination, with a portfolio-stand, A, and a sliding frame, E, composed of a horizontal traverse, d, and the guides e, of two In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hooks, f f, a lever, g, and spring z', all couhzwe hereunto set my hand and seal this 14th strneted and operating substantially as and day of May, 1877. for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a portfolio-stand, DAVID J. STEIN. [L. 8.] A, and its hinged brace C, of a link-latch, D, composed of a series of hinged sections, and Witnesses: provided with notches o, substantially as and W. HAUFF, for the purpose shown and described. E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

